Among Galactic Ruins
Read Among Galactic Ruins Online
Authors: Anna Hackett
Anna Hackett
Among Galactic Ruins
Published by Anna Hackett
Copyright 2015 by Anna Hackett
Covers by
Croco Designs
Edits by
Tanya Saari
ISBN: 978-0-9943584-1-7
This book is a work of fiction. All names,
characters, places and incidents are either the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this
book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
electronic form.
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~ Official Document ~
Galactic Institute of Historical
Preservation
Internal Records #ZZ-5945-973
Subject: History of Zerzura
The history of the planet of Zerzura spans
millennia and has seen the rise and fall of many civilizations. It
has been a source of fascination for the masses, study for
astro-archeologists and historians, and a hot spot for treasure
hunters and collectors.
The first inhabitants of the planet are
still unknown to us today but left vast ruins of once-great cities.
Many more cultures have made the planet home, but the most
fascinating, of course, are the colonists from Earth. Fleeing the
Great Terran War, they brought their history and traditions to the
outer reaches of the galaxy.
They also brought many invaluable historical
artifacts.
The changing climate has left much of the
planet covered by desert, and it is suspected the sands have hidden
many a temple, palace or ancient city. The planet has also become
home to a mix of alien races, and is now well-known as a dangerous
destination.
But myths and legends of Terran treasure
persist on Zerzura, and most astro-archeologists agree that a
fabulous discovery awaits.
As the descending starship hit turbulence,
Dr. Alexa Carter gasped, her stomach jumping.
But she didn’t feel sick, she felt
exhilarated
.
She stared out the window at the sand dunes
of the planet below. Zerzura. The legendary planet packed with
danger, mystery and history.
She was
finally
here. All she could
see was sand dune, after yellow sand dune, all the way off into the
distance. The dual suns hung in the sky, big and full—one gold and
one red—baking the ground below.
But there was more to Zerzura than that. She
knew, from all her extensive history training as an
astro-archeologist, that the planet was covered in ruins—some old
and others beyond ancient. She knew every single one of the myths
and legends.
She glanced down at her lap and clutched the
Sync communicator she was holding. Right here she had her ticket to
finding an ancient Terran treasure.
Lexa thumbed the screen. She’d found the
slim, ancient vase in the museum archives and initially thought
nothing of the lovely etchings of priestesses on the side of
it.
Until she’d finished translating the obscure
text.
She’d been gobsmacked when she realized the
text gave her clues that not only formed a map, but also described
what the treasure was at the end. A famed Fabergé egg.
Excitement zapped like electricity through
her veins. After a career spent mostly in the Galactic Institute of
Historical Preservation and on a few boring digs in the central
systems, she was now the curator of the Darend Museum on Zeta
Volantis—a private and well-funded museum that was mostly just a
place for her wealthy patron, Marius Darend, to house his
extensive, private collection of invaluable artifacts from around
the galaxy.
But like most in the galaxy, he had a
special obsession with old Earth artifacts. When she’d gone to him
with the map and proposal to go on a treasure hunt to Zerzura to
recover it, he’d been more than happy to fund it.
So here she was, Dr. Alexa Carter, on a
treasure hunt.
Her father, of course, had almost had a
coronary when she’d told her parents she’d be gone for several
weeks. That familiar hard feeling invaded her belly. Baron Carter
did not like his only daughter working, let alone being an
astro-archeologist, and he
really
didn’t like her going to a
planet like Zerzura. He’d ranted about wild chases and wastes of
time, and predicted her failure.
She straightened in her seat. She’d been
ignoring her father’s disapproval for years. When she had the egg
in her hands, then he’d have to swallow his words.
Someone leaned over her, a broad shoulder
brushing hers. “Strap in, Princess, we’re about to land.”
Lexa’s excitement deflated a little. There
was just one fly in her med gel.
Unfortunately, Marius had insisted she bring
along the museum’s new head of security. She didn’t know much about
Damon Malik, but she knew she didn’t like him. The rumor among the
museum staff was that he had a super-secret military
background.
She looked at him now, all long, and lean
and dark. He had hair as black as her own, but skin far darker. She
couldn’t see him in the military. His manner was too…well, she
wasn’t sure what, exactly, but he certainly didn’t seem the type to
happily take orders.
No, he preferred to be the one giving
them.
He shot her a small smile, but it didn’t
reach his dark eyes. Those midnight-blue eyes were always…intense.
Piercing. Like he was assessing everything, calculating. She found
it unsettling.
“I’m already strapped in, Mr. Malik.” She
tugged on her harness and raised a brow.
“Just checking. I’m here to make sure you
don’t get hurt on this little escapade.”
“Escapade?” She bit her tongue and counted
to ten. “We have a map leading to the location of a very valuable
artifact. That’s hardly an escapade.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night,
Princess.” He shot a glance at the window and the unforgiving
desert below. “This is a foolish risk for some silly egg.”
She huffed out a breath. Infuriating man.
“Why get a job at a museum if you think artifacts are silly?”
He leaned back in his seat. “Because I
needed a change. One where no one tried to kill me.”
Kill him? She narrowed her eyes and wondered
again just what the hell he’d done before he’d arrived at the
Darend.
A chime sounded and the pilot’s voice
filtered into the plush cabin of Marius’ starship. “Landing at
Kharga spaceport in three minutes. Hang on, ladies and
gentlemen.”
Excitement filled Lexa’s belly. Ignoring the
man beside her, she looked out the window again.
The town of Kharga was visible now. They
flew directly over it, and she marveled at the primitive look and
the rough architecture. The buildings were made of stone—some
simple squares, others with domed roofs, and some a haphazard
sprawl of both. In the dirt-lined streets, ragged beasts were led
by robed locals, and battered desert speeders flew in every
direction, hovering off the ground.
It wasn’t advanced and yes, it was rough and
dangerous. So very different to the marble-lined floors and
grandeur of the Darend Museum or the Institute’s huge, imposing
museums and research centers. And it was the complete opposite of
the luxury she’d grown up with in the central systems.
She barely resisted bouncing in her seat
like a child. She couldn’t
wait
to get down there. She
wasn’t stupid, she knew there were risks, but could hold her own
and she knew when to ask for help.
The ship touched down, a cloud of dust
puffing past the window. Lexa ripped her harness off, trying—and
failing—to contain her excitement.
“Wait.” Damon grabbed her arm and pulled her
back from the opening door. “I’ll go first.”
As he moved forward, she pulled a face at
his broad back.
Arrogant know-it-all.
The door opened with a quiet hiss. She
watched him stop at the top of the three steps that had extended
from the starship. He scanned the spaceport…well, spaceport was a
generous word for it. Lexa wasn’t sure the sandy ground, beaten-up
starships lined up beside them, and the battered buildings covered
with black streaks—were those laser scorch marks?—warranted the
term spaceport, but it was what it was.
Damon checked the laser pistols holstered at
his lean hips then nodded. “All right.” He headed down the
steps.
Lexa tugged on the white shirt tucked into
her fitted khaki pants. Mr. Dark and Brooding might be dressed in
all black, but she’d finally pulled her rarely used expedition
clothes out of her closet for the trip. She couldn’t wait to get
them dirty. She tucked her Sync into her small backpack, swung the
bag over her shoulder and headed down the stairs.
“Our contact is supposed to meet us here.”
She looked around but didn’t see anyone paying them much attention.
A rough-looking freighter crew lounged near a starfreighter that
didn’t even look like it could make it off the ground. A couple of
robed humanoids argued with three smaller-statured reptilians.
“He’s a local treasure hunter called Brocken Phoenix.”
Damon grunted. “Looks like he’s late. I
suggest we head to the central market and ask around.”
“Okay.” She was eager to see more of Kharga
and soak it all in.